Epilogue
by Bchets
Summary: My take on the ending of Oregairu. Only the ending, does not explain events that happen right before it. So, there will be some OOC stuffs.


**Epilogue**

Hiratsuka-sensei stood in front of the three of us, across the table. From this angle, she looked kinda cool, but I'd never say that out loud.

"The winner of this battle royale is..."

There was no suspense. We all knew the results of the contest, yet we were all surprisingly happy with it. I looked to my left and made eye contact with the girls. Yuigahama smiled widely, while Yukinoshita sported a soft smile that you wouldn't notice unless you've spent a bit of time with her. I smiled back. Hopefully it wasn't my creepy smile. I still don't have full control over that.

"Hikigaya-kun. As we've discussed, you can order the losers to do anything. Well, I'll leave you to it." Sensei walked out of the door without looking back, as if she knew everything was going to turn out well. Yuigahama and Yukinoshita looked at me in anticipation.

"Okay. Yuigahama first." Yuigahama nodded vigorously. Please don't hurt yourself. I looked at her and thought about my order.

"After this, could you remain friends with Yukinoshita?"

"What kind of order is that, Hikki? I'm gonna be friends with Yukinon forever!" She adamantly looked at me. Off to the side, Yukinoshita smiled a little, but upon seeing me look at her, she turned away quickly.

"That's not my order. I was just making sure that you really were gonna be friends still." Yuigahama was really a nice girl. I doubted she would answer any differently than how she did. But what I was going to do next could potentially harm their relationship a little. But, it was still the best course of action in my eyes. After all, I was acting for myself instead of for others, for once.

"Ah okay! Then..." Yuigahama twirled her pink-dyed hair around her finger. "What's your order?"

"My order is... Leave the room for a few minutes."

Yuigahama and Yukinoshita seemed stunned. Yuigahama recovered first, gave me a knowing smile and a nod, then left the room. Yukinoshita looked at me in waiting.

It used to be like this before, with just the two of us in this club room. Before Yuigahama joined, it was instances of us flinging insults at each other scattered in between long periods of silence. Yet, even in those few days I enjoyed her company.

However, before being forced into this club, Yukinoshita was all alone. I couldn't imagine her being happy in those days. She may have been content, but I doubt she felt any joy from being alone. After all, a loner might seem to enjoy solitude, but deep down, there is a part that wishes to interact with others. Source: me.

We are like the fish in the aquarium we went to on Valentine's Day. We only know the small part of the world that is our tank. We'll keep swimming in circles and interacting with others and running into invisible walls in search of something. For me, it was something genuine. Whether or not I found it in the small tank of Chiba, I did not know.

But I did know one thing, that there were others who could help me on my search for it. That none of us three had to feel lonely or lost, as we had each other to lean on.

I made fun of this concept during the school festival, but now I believe it is part of human nature to rely on others. No one is perfect and most need some support sometimes. That kanji isn't just one leg doing all the work. It's the smaller leg giving support to the larger leg, helping it stand. **[1]**

I moved to the seat that Yuigahama had occupied just a second ago. Despite being in the room where time had begun again for the three of us, everything seemed to be frozen. Even her long, beautiful hair was still. It was in that stillness that I asked a question that was familiar to the both of us.

"Could we be friends?" She looked at me with what looked like shock, but she quickly calmed down and asked a question of her own.

"Is that your order?"

"No, it's a question. You have the highest grades in our class, and you can't even tell the difference between a question and an order?"

"Oh, I'm just surprised even someone of your intellect could even distinguish the two. Just wanted to make sure you weren't making a mistake, 3rd place."

I smiled at the nostalgic exchange of insults.

"Well?"

Yukinoshita smiled and flicked her hair behind her shoulder, reminiscent of the first time I asked. The same room, the same people, the same question, the same gesture. And...

"That's impossible. I've already told you that." The same response. Yet, a lot had changed from back then.

"I thought you would say that. Then... I order you to seriously consider what I am going to ask you next." I looked her in the eyes. At first she looked away, as if on impulse. I know I would have done the same under normal circumstances. She soon looked back at me, and we were stuck in that gaze for a while.

I had decided to ask her a question that only she could answer. Without any help from someone else, without any guidance, nor any precedent that could be applied. Only with her own feelings could she respond. And as the snow underneath the snow **[2]** glowed in the setting sun, I asked the question.

"Will you go out with me?"

And in that sunlit room **[3]** , where spring had finally begun to emerge, my teenage romantic comedy ended up being more right than I expected.

* * *

Hey, all. Thanks for reading my take on the ending of Oregairu. Reviews are appreciated as always.

Also, I'm back! Will continue V-day fic soon.

8man is OOC because I believe there will be some character development in coming volumes. Of course, the romantic ending is wishful thinking for the light novel, but I can dream right? Wataru Watari, I leave the rest to you!

Thanks all,

Bchets

 **[1]** : This kanji: 人 (a/n: Font makes the smaller leg same size as big leg. Look up "hito kanji" if interested.)

 **[2]** : Pun. Yukinoshita Yukino sounds pretty close to the snow underneath the snow in Japanese. Source: 8man and my limited knowledge of Japanese (mainly 8man).

 **[3]** : Yukitoki (a/n: Yanagi Nagi is amazing)


End file.
